EQUALITY IN RELATIONSHIPS 

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

As we saw in Part 1, God made us all to be equal. But too often people automatically think that when a person is different from themselves, they could not be equal. They’re not even aware they’re thinking that way. But this line of thinking has caused a multitude of problems and pain amongst people and nations.

When God told us we were all equal, he meant that we all deserve to be treated with equal dignity and respect. If we could only make that a part of how we live and relate to each other. But it’s hard to always do what God commands.

And what damage is done to those who are looked down on. Think how the quality of their lives could be affected when they’re made to feel unworthy of others’ friendship. Many lose hope, especially individuals who might be living with disabilities that are not understood by others.

People who  live with persistent feelings of being less than others may hide from social situations, fearing rejection. They lose out on enjoying the presence of others. Unless you have personal activities that give you joy, life could become flat, colourless, and boring. It’s not much fun having only yourself for company. When you spend time with others, there’s more opportunity to grow and become all you could be.

Can you identify? If this is how it is for you, you’re not alone. Probably, most people feel inferior at times.

How can we overcome such feelings? How can we build ourselves up? Perhaps the Indian statesman, Mahatma Gandhi could inspire you. I told his story in the series called A VOICE OF ONE CALLING, to be found here.

Gandhi was a small person—not small inside, but short physically. He feared speaking publicly.  In his autobiography he tells how he lost his first legal case because of this fear. He could not think of questions to ask and fled the courtroom in a panic. This fear of public speaking continued for much of his life. And yet, he was the man who was a fearless campaigner for the rights and dignity of all people.

Gandhi had all kinds of reasons to feel small, but he did not allow that to get him down. He looked beyond himself, focussing instead on the world and the injustices he saw out there. He occupied his mind so much on the wrongs he saw and his efforts to overcome them, that he overcame any problems with inferiority he might have had. As he worked to create a better India, he himself became a bigger man.

This has been Part 2 of the series Equality in Relationshipsr  Read Part 3 – No Longer an Equal.

marja